The Execution of All Things
by socks-lost
Summary: Post series finale. Socks and Seas collaboration. Jane and Maura have landed in Paris. As Maura begins her book, Jane inadvertently begins a journey to self discovery. With a month in France, the true nature of their relationship begins to come into focus and brings answers to questions that both Jane and Maura have eluded over the years.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** This is a story collaboration with shallow-seas-we-sail! Like last time, it started over on tumblr with tags on a gif-set, which then turned into a conversation and here we are. It's always a blast working with Seas (such a fantastic writer and person and a very patient human!) and I hope you all enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own the characters. ETC. ETC.

* * *

Maura tapped her credit card against the marble counter of the front desk. Tension settled in her neck and shoulders. The incessant _clickclickclick_ of the keyboard by the young man across the desk kept kept tempo with the dull throb of her headache. He had been trying to find her reservation for the last twenty minutes with little success. Maura was tired. Her eyes burned. She was hungry and she was irritable. And her patience had ran out ten minutes ago.

" _Madame, je suis désolé_. I cannot find the change to your reservation." He said.

"I called this morning before our flight and had the room changed from a single to a double. I spoke to..." Maura closed her eyes and tried to remember the man's name through the haze of her exhaustion, "Enzo, I believe."

" _Oui_ , but the note for a room change is not here."

Maura pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth. She drew in a calming breath and willed her frustration back down. "What rooms do you have available," she leaned forward and peered at the young man's name tag, "Louis."

"Let me check." He said, tapping a few more keys.

Maura turned and leaned against the counter, her eyes searching for Jane. She found her half way across the lobby, surrounded by their luggage. She sat in an oversized chair and the look on her face as she flipped through the magazine in her hand told Maura that she did not understand a word of what she was reading. Her agitation quieted for a moment when Jane looked up and smiled.

' _This is just a small misunderstanding. Nothing to worry about.'_ Maura thought to herself and returned the gesture.

"Anything?" Maura asked over her shoulder. Her eyes kept focused on Jane. There was some amusement in watching her ill-fated attempt to translate the French publication of _Vogue._

" _Madame_ Isles, we are completely booked. I can have a cot brought to your room for your friend if you'd like."

If Maura had a shred of patience left, it had been picked up and blown at the door at the mention of the word ' _cot'._

" _Monsieur_ , we are staying for a month. She cannot sleep on a cot. I was assured we would have a room this morning." The politeness in Maura's voice was forced.

"I understand, _madame_ , but-..."

"Hey, what's going on?" Jane asked, coming up beside Maura.

"We don't have a damn room."

Jane scoffed, "That's BS, you talked to them this morning." Jane settled her hand along the small of Maura's back and kneaded the building tension there with her fingertips.

"I know." ' _I know, I know, I know.'_

"I have offered _Madame_ Isles a cot for the time being. Until we have a room available." Louis said.

Jane shrugged, "Maura, that's fine for now. Honestly, it's not like it's going to be for the entire time we're here. Just until another room opens up."

Maura shook her head, "No, it's not fine. We were told we would have an upgraded room, so we will have an upgraded room." She looked straight ahead and her cold focus fell on the man in front of her. "Right, Louis?"

Louis swallowed hard and Jane bit down on her bottom lip to hold back the bark of laughter itching in the back of her throat. She moved her hand along to Maura's side, preparing to hold her back if she decided to jump the desk and throttle the poor man. Maura was in a mood. Jane looked at Louis as his eyes widened and he shamefully looked down at his computer.

" _Madame_ , all I have is the single. I can call our affiliate hotel and check their availability." Louis said, picking up the phone.

"Really, the cot is fine, Maura." Jane said, trying to ease the tension.

" _Oui , je demande de la Shangri-La_." Louis spoke quickly into the receiver, " _Je cherche des chambres ouvertes que vous pourriez avoir."_

"It's not a big deal. I'll go and grab a luggage cart." Jane turned and threw her thumb over her shoulder towards their bags.

"Put. Down. The. Phone." Maura said through her teeth, "Jane, stay where you are."

" _Mettre le téléphone vers le bas!"_ Maura repeated and leaned forward against the desk, watching Louis as he lowered the phone.

Jane stood rooted to her spot beside Maura on the grand marble flooring. Her eyes landed on the bar at the far end of the lobby. She was suddenly thirsty, but it was too far to make an escape. Instead, Jane became the one woman audience to the tirade of the century as of her cultured and sophisticated best friend unleashed a verbal fury. One elective language class her senior year had taught Jane all she needed to know in French: how to ask where the bathroom was and an all important handful of swears. Jane pressed her knuckles against her lips to hide her glee as she cherry picked the expletives that Maura left behind on her war path.

" _Je suis vraiment désolé, Madame Isles_. I did not know." Louis said remorsefully. Jane was impressed that he hadn't been reduced to a crying heap on the damn fancy marble floor.

Maura shook her head incredulously, "You did not know what? That we had a room!?"

" _Oui, vous et votre femme."_ Louis said, his eyes darting to Jane and then to the hand around Maura's waist. Jane gave a weak smile at her sudden recognition.

Maura's eyes widened as the the haze of her fury was momentarily lifted.

Louis glanced up from the computer at Maura and smiled as he tapped away quickly on the keyboard. A moment later he produced two key cards from behind the desk and handed them to Maura, "You are on the top floor in 1502. Your bags will be taken up to your suite, _Madame Isles._ I apologize for the inconvenience. Your room has been upgraded at no additional charge."

" _Je vous remercie."_ Maura mumbled. Stunned, she took the cards and turned towards Jane, "I'm not entirely sure of what just happened."

"You handed that guy his ass and got us a suite, that's what happened!" Jane said, playfully tapping Maura on the shoulder as they walked towards the elevators.

Jane pressed the signal button for the elevator. Then pressed it again. And again.

...

The room had all the amenities of a home. A large kitchen with sleek, black appliances. The living room and the black on silver theme gave the room a sharp, modern aesthetic. Full length mirrors lined at least one wall in each room. Behind her, Jane had began to gather their bags from the bell hop. Maura slipped her hand into her pocket. She turned and thanked him, handing him a generous tip. When she turned back around, Jane had already wandered off. She heard the echo of a gravelly voice call out to God from the bathroom

Jane stood in the doorway of the bathroom. Her jaw was slack, and her hand still rested on the light switch. The bathroom was a huge fun house of mirrored illusion that reflected infinitely within itself. The shower was glass enclosed. Jets protruded from the walls and a waterfall shower head hung from the center of the ceiling above it. Beside the shower, the large jacuzzi tub had already been filled. Chamomile and mint filled the air, and rose petals swirled along the surface caught in the jets current.

"I think they upgraded us to the honeymoon suite. You tryin' to tell me something?" Jane chided, sticking Maura in the side with her elbow.

Maura cleared her throat and rubbed the back of her neck to run away the warm sensation that had begun to bristle up there, "It appears that they did. I can call down to the front desk and-..."

Jane walked into the center of the bathroom and was projected endlessly in every direction. Maura pushed her tongue into her cheek and mused as Jane protested; her long arms spread out beside her

"What? Are you kidding? No way am I giving this up. I can't settle for a cot now when there are jets in the shower."

"If this is the honeymoon suite, that means there is only one bed." Maura said, quirking an eyebrow.

Jane rolled her eyes as she walked past Maura and flipped off the bathroom light. They made their way out of the bathroom and back towards the bedroom.

"Wow." Jane said crossing the spacious room. She made her way to the French doors across from the foot of the bed and peaked out the blinds before pulling open the doors, "Look at this view!"

Maura's breath caught for a moment before letting out a low whistle. Lit up across the courtyard of the hotel was the Eiffel Tower. Synchronized lights traveled up and down the scaffolding, putting on a dazzling display. Maura counted back the years since she had last been in Paris. The summer after she had completed her undergrad she remembered. She had spent a majority of her time attending her mother's installations or a gallery opening; caught in the flurry of upper class social circles, awkwardly making small talk. She had only had a few hours her last day to travel to the tower and she had appreciated its beauty alone.

Pushing away the memory, Maura turned and walked back into the bedroom, "We have dinner reservations for eight." she said, "I am going to lay down for a quick nap. You should too. We need to help our bodies adjust for the time difference."

Jane turned and followed Maura, " _Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir?"_

Maura rolled her eyes as she pulled back the covers and felt a flush rise in her cheeks, "Do you even know what you just said, Detective Marmalade?"

"I know Patti LaBelle, how to ask where the bathroom is and about half of those swear words you threw at that poor front desk guy. That's the extent of my French." Jane smiled, "But I think I'm okay. I'll bring in our bags and then I'm taking advantage of that bath."

Maura grinned and turned off the side table light. "See you in an hour."

Jane picked her outfit from her suitcase in the living room; a casual button up and black, fitted slacks. She brought their bags into the bedroom and laid them in front of the dresser, then made her way back to the bathroom. After her bath, she changed and walked into the kitchen. The espresso machine was similar to Maura's. After pushing a few buttons and remembering to add water, Jane quietly made her way back out to balcony with her drink. The lingering mint from her bath tingled against her skin in the warm air and she sipped her espresso. Flipping over her wrist, she checked her watch. She needed to change the time. Jane finished her drink and set down the cup on the table beside her and let out a heavy sigh. She was going to miss Boston. She was going to miss her job and her family. She was going to miss her friends and her city. But most of all, she was going to miss Maura. A sinking feeling of dread wandered through her and she felt vastly alone. The way she felt after Hoyt; floating in no discernible direction. Suddenly starting over in DC did not hold the allure and excitement it once had. She walked towards the balcony rail and rested her forearms against it. The dancing lights of the Eiffel Tower glistened against Jane's unshed tears and she blinked them away. She hadn't heard Maura come up beside her, and it wasn't until Maura had looped her arm between hers that Jane was pulled back from her thoughts.

"I'm happy you're here." Maura said quietly, and rested her head on Jane's shoulder.

Something kick started in Jane's heart. She felt her pulse quicken and her body grew warm. Years of meticulous, second natured deflection blamed the caffeine.

Jane smiled and turned her head, her eyes changing their focus from the lights, down to Maura, "Me too."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Here is chapter two! Hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own characters. No money. ETC.

* * *

At the sound of running water coming from the bathroom, Jane flopped down onto one of the chairs in the main area of the hotel suite. She couldn't help but grin as she thought back to Maura's diatribe in the main lobby.

It could be easy to forget how fierce her friend's attitude could be when determined and road blocked. It was always good to be reminded of that fact every now and then. And poor Luis. He'd handled himself well, even if he did clearly misunderstand something. The honeymoon suite? Really? But Jane wasn't about to complain or demand something else. Not with the Eiffel Tower right outside the balcony doors. No way. At the thought her gaze drifted towards those shut double doors.

It was incredible. This whole trip was going to be amazing, she could sense it. Jane couldn't remember the last time she took a vacation, much less one with such potential for breathtaking views, good food, and plenty of wine. It was surreal to think that she was in Paris.

The thought kept popping into her head over and over, from the moment her passport was stamped to where she sat currently in a fancy French hotel room. She was in Paris. No matter how many times she repeated the sentence to herself, it still left her mind a little boggled.

Getting that ticket had been, by far, the craziest thing she'd done outside of uniform, but the look on Maura's face when she told her she was going with her had been well worth it. And if she were honest, the chance to hang out with her best friend uninterrupted for a full month had been worth the risk as well. Jane's gaze moved to the closed bathroom door, and that feeling from the balcony swept over her once more unexpectedly. She'd missed Maura. It seemed silly. They saw each other practically every day but she still missed her. They didn't have time or the energy to talk as much as the used to and it was beginning to bother Jane. A lot of things were beginning to bother her.

Things were changing. It was something she could no longer deny. Jane had a distinct feeling that this trip was somehow the beginning of an end. She wasn't sure exactly what it was that was ending, but she could feel herself on a precipice, standing at a divide and she'd already chosen her path, unknowingly. DC seemed like the better choice. The best choice. After the year she had, that Maura had, that _everyone_ had because of her, how could it not? But now, in an upscale honeymoon suite half a world away that decision was starting to lose its shine underneath the scrutiny.

Going to DC seemed like the only choice, only now, she wasn't so sure.

Jane let out a sigh shaking her head. She stood and went back to the kitchen for another espresso already feeling the beginning of a headache and tiredness creep in around the hedges of her brain. She didn't want to think about DC or the FBI or Boston. If she did she would start to think about everything else and that was never a place she wanted to go, at least not willingly. She pressed all the buttons on the machine and waited, her mind still whirling with thoughts about the future.

Just as she took a sip from the steaming hot drink the phone to the room rang. Cautiously, Jane walked over to it, gave one last glance to the closed bathroom door, and picked it up. "Uh, _bonjour?"_ She mumbled into the receiver.

" _Madame Isles?"_ It was Luis.

"Um, no _Madame Rizzoli."_

"Ah, I'm glad I caught you."

"Is," Jane mumbled trying to wrack her brain for key words from that one class she took in high school. _God, why did Maura have to take such long showers?_ "Is there something wrong with our dinner reservation because you should really talk to Maura, er, Dr. Isles."

"No!" He jumped to say, Jane bit her lip to keep from laughing. She guessed he was still a little rattled from the first round with Maura. "I was calling to ask if you and your wife," Jane's eyebrow rose, but she said nothing, "would like instead of dinner like you'd planned, to attend a wine tasting. The event is catered, transportation can be arranged to and from the event. Most of the guests in attendance will be newlyweds." She could hear the shuffling of papers on his side of the line, "of course, you can still have your original dinner plans. I just wanted to make sure all of the options were available to you and _Madame Isles."_

Jane chewed on the thought for a moment. A slow grin started to cross her face as she imagined telling her mother just what they were getting into in Paris. "You know what, Luis? That sounds fantastic. We'll do it. Thank you."

…

Maura took her time with her shower. The water was just the right temperature, the jets had the perfect pressure – part of her wanted to stay wrapped up in that cocoon of hot steam forever.

Showers were perfect for meandering thoughts and as the hot water and soap washed down her back she couldn't help but let her mind wander.

 _The honeymoon suite._ Rose petals in the bathtub, only a single queen sized bed. She knew exactly what Luis had called Jane, what he thought they were. And Maura didn't correct him. She didn't feel guilty about it either. At least not yet. With Jane's hand rubbing circles on her lower back, standing in the middle of a Paris hotel – it felt right. It felt good. It wasn't like Jane, once they stepped inside their hotel room, wouldn't be able to know what they've been confused for. It was just another thing to add to the pile of all the things they didn't talk about. One more thing to dance around. Maura reached for the faucet, a different kind of fatigue settling in her bones. She was so tired of this.

She stepped out of the shower and began drying off.

To add more weight to the ever-pressing need in her chest, Jane was leaving. Maura had still yet to wrap her mind around that. It was different this time. It wasn't like when Casey proposed. Jane was different. She was different. Their relationship was different. She wasn't losing Jane to some _one_ but rather to some _thing._ And how was she supposed to compete with that? It didn't matter anyway. Jane made her choice and she was just going to have to live with it. This month in Paris was going to be their last few moments together, she was sure, so why not make the most of it?

When Maura walked out of the shower a few minutes later her heart felt just a bit heavy.

"Maura!" The loud exclamation made her take a half-step backwards back into the bathroom. Jane held a small espresso cup in her hand, her brown eyes wide and alert. "Luis called while you were in the shower. I think you spooked him with your rant in the lobby," Jane laughed as Maura blushed, "he seemed happy when it was me that picked up. Anyway, he told me there's a wine tasting party thing going on at a nearby hotel. There'll be food. He's got everything worked out. I thought that'd be cool to go to instead of going to a fancy restaurant as we planned. Do you mind?"

It took Maura a few minutes to connect all the dots with Jane's caffeine induced rambling. "Of course I don't mind. It sounds like it would make a fun evening. One question, how many of those," she pointed to the cup in Jane's hand, "have you had?"

There was a twinkle in deep brown eyes and Maura knew immediately she wasn't going to get a straight answer. Jane pulled on the sleeve of her robe, dragging Maura to the suitcases. "Wine." She said as if that was the answer to everything. "I want some. Get dressed. Let's go!" She shouted as she exited the room to give her some privacy.

…

The nearby hotel was almost within walking distance, though Maura was grateful for the car service if only because it saved her from walking so far in heels. Jane had not elaborated about the event, but, despite their rough start, Maura didn't think Luis would send them the wrong way. Hindsight should've told her that Luis didn't exactly have the right idea about her and Jane's relationship. That thought didn't even cross her mind, except as she walked into the large ballroom with most of the attendees holding hands and adoring at each other lovingly she wished she'd called down to the front desk herself and asked about this so called 'wine tasting'.

The first thing that caught Maura's eye were the guests. Everyone, _everyone,_ seemed to be paired off. And not randomly either. No these were couples who were in love. It was very clearly written on all of their faces as they gazed at or clung to their love. She was so caught off guard by this strange turn of events ( _what were she and Jane doing here amongst all of these so very obvious couples?)_ she wasn't even aware of Jane's fumbling French as she tried to tell the the maître d their names. Once they were checked off Jane grabbed her by the elbow and dragged her inside.

The second thing she noticed, it was a more laissez-faire event than ones she was used to. There was live music, people – _couples_ – were dancing. There was a buffet table along one side of the wall and wait staff walking about offering attendees hors d'oeuvres or glasses of champagne and whatever other drinks they had ordered. The room seemed to be split in two, one side all about wine and the other mainly about being at the party. The dance floor was in the middle and people would meander between both sides.

Jane grinned as they walked inside the ballroom. It was just magical. This was much better than a boring dinner. And everyone was so happy! All the espressos she had drunk in the hotel were starting to catch up to her. Her bones felt like they were going to vibrate right out of her skin. She turned towards Maura about to say something, but the words died somewhere between her brain and her lips. Maura's cheeks were a pleasant rosy color, the emerald color of her dress only enhanced the green in her eyes, and her hair fell in bouncy ringlets across her shoulders. It wasn't the first time she was caught speechless by the way her friend looked. She always looked ready to walk down any runway. But this was somehow different. Maybe it was the uncertainty in those hazel eyes. "Relax," Jane bent forward slightly, speaking directly into her ear. She closed her eyes taking a moment to breathe in Maura's sweet perfume. Her fingers traced a path from elbow to fingers and gave a gentle squeeze.

"Everyone here is a couple." Maura hissed back unable to meet Jane's eyes, trying not to get lost in the overwhelming sensation of Jane's touch and breath.

"Noticed that, did you?"

The comment earned her a slap on the shoulder. "Jane!"

"Damn, woman." Jane laughed, rubbing the area. "Look, we can go if you want _but_ we're already here, what's the worst that could happen?" She grabbed Maura's hand again and drug her to the buffet area.

Maura narrowed her eyes at Jane. "Famous last words, Detective."

…

Jet lag was a funny thing.

One minute Jane felt like she had a handle of things. Things were Under Control. She'd staved off hunger with quality food which made the caffeine's effects lessen and now it was time to taste some wine. There were a lot of Americans at this particular shindig so she had at least people who knew English to talk to while Maura left for the bathroom a few times.

Everything was fine.

And then it wasn't.

It very much wasn't.

The wine, the bajillion hour time difference, the plane ride, the lack of a real dinner, all those espressos – it all seemed to catch up with her at once. Suddenly, she was punch drunk and tired. Or maybe just drunk. Wine did make her sleepy, after all. She should've thought about that earlier. Her head felt like it was going to float right off her body and rest somewhere in the rafters like a lost balloon.

They were now tasting the wine with a large group of people. The sommelier was going over exactly what it was they were to be looking for in the wine, how they were supposed to swirl it, and smell it. The man had a nice soothing voice, but Jane wasn't paying attention. His words sounded disjointed and she was having trouble connecting the dots to form coherent sentences in her brain. He was just background noise to the wine she was drinking. And after the second one – were they on their third or fifth? - everything started to taste the same for her. She was a beer girl at heart anyway, and two buck chuck when she felt the need to get a little fancy. Maura on the other hand, was humming along to what the man said. Jane watched as she swirled the wine in her glass and sniffed it. There was something mesmerizing about this whole scenario and she had no idea why.

Her arm had managed to find a resting place around Maura's waist, one finger hooked into the belt around her middle to stay in position. Jane decided she liked it here. And Maura didn't seem to disagree either. And Jane decided she also liked the wine. She liked it a lot. And she liked these other newlyweds. She snorted into her glass instead of sniffing like she was supposed to at the thought. _Other._ Like she was one of them. Like she _and_ Maura – _she and Maura, together –_ were one of them. She snorted again. This time it earned her a swift elbow to the ribs, which just made her giggle.

Jane lost count of the amount of wine they actually tasted. She was sure it couldn't have been that much because no one else seemed to have a problem with walking in a straight line. Maura at least seemed fine. Maura also didn't have a thousand espressos and Maura also took a nap earlier. But Jane was just convinced that Maura was made of magic because how else does she look so fantastic and put together after a ridiculous plane ride and a six-hour time difference? Magic. Plain and simple.

As they walked away from the wine tasting area and new people took their place Jane's eyes traveled the room. Her eyes caught sight of the dance floor and the couples on it. Who was she to pass up such an opportunity? She turned to Maura. " _Fais-tu vouloir a danser_?"

Maura laughed. "Okay." Jane was already pulling her to the dance floor. "Do you know how to dance?"

"I can do a mean middle-school shuffle." Maura laughed again, open and big, and Jane decided then that she wanted to make her do that as much as possible on this trip. She hadn't heard her best friend laugh like that in a long time.

After a couple songs on the dance floor their positions had relaxed quite a bit. Maura had her chin resting against Jane's shoulder, one arm around her back and curving around the same shoulder while the other hand rested in Jane's against her chest. They were barely moving their feet, and instead just swaying to the rhythm of the music.

"So tell me about your book?" Jane asked, her voice light, almost teasing. Maura could practically hear the smile.

Maura's face flushed as it always did when someone asked her about her writing. "I can't."

Jane let out a labored sigh, dropping her shoulders. She pulled back a little from the embrace looking at Maura imploringly with big brown eyes. " _Maura_."

Maura buried her face in the place where Jane's shoulder and neck met. "I can't, Jane."

"Can't or won't?"

There was a pause. "Yes." Jane could feel Maura smiling against her neck.

"Well, that's just not fair." Jane's voice was nothing but teasing. Maura shrugged. "Why won't you tell me?"

"Because."

Jane's feet paused stopping their shuffle momentarily, her voice was low and soothing. "you know I'm not going to judge you, right?" Maura gave her a skeptical look. "Well," Jane shrugged, giving her friend a teasing smile, "maybe a little."

Maura sighed, shaking her head, a smile playing at her lips, "you're impossible."

"Maybe a little." She held up her thumb and index finger a few centimeters apart.

…

Jane had no recollection of leaving the party. All she knew was that at four in the morning for some inexplicable reason her eyes opened and there was nothing but fluff and white and a warmth that very much did not come from the blankets. A body – _Maura's_ body – was snug against hers, back firmly pressed to her front. Jane did not entirely dislike the feeling. In fact, it felt kind of nice being the big spoon. Maura felt kind of nice. For a moment she forgot about the bathroom and buried her nose in Maura's hair as sleep overcame her once again.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you guys for all of the nice comments and the follows/faves! We appreciate it very much! And we're glad you're enjoying the story, because we're enjoying writing it! Thank you!

 **Disclaimer:** Don't own the characters.

* * *

Jane felt heavy. Her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth and her brain was floating somewhere off in a distant fog. The warm spot beside her had grown cold hours ago and the smell of fresh coffee lingered in the air. But it wasn't enough of a temptation to pull her from bed.

She groaned and rolled over, peeking open one eye. She fumbled around on the side table and found her watch.

' _Shit.'_ It was noon, which meant it was six pm back in Boston. Jane let out a deep sigh and forced herself to sit up. Her internal clock was in shambles and a roaring headache began to pound behind her eyes. Propelling herself from bed, Jane shuffled her feet towards the bathroom. She needed a shower to loosen up her body and at least give her some semblance of being alive. She also needed coffee and those fluffy little croissants she remembered were sitting on the kitchen counter.

Stepping into the shower, Jane absently went about her routine. She stared at the wall for a moment and tried to remember: What did they do last night? There had been food and wine. God, there had been so much wine. Her memory began to get fuzzy after the second tasting and then disappeared after the third. Jane focused on the grout between the tiles and the way droplets of water ran between them. Her memories had fallen into a void and she didn't know where to begin to search for them.

Anxiety fluttered in her chest and she ran her hands up her face and through her hair. _'Oh god. Did I make an idiot of myself?'_ Jane turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirrors that surrounded her. She looked exhausted. She hadn't expected the jet lag to hit her like this. She felt like her brain had been scrambled and thrown back into her head. Back in the bedroom she changed and added a few swipes of concealer under her eyes to hide her exhaustion. She wanted to crawl back into bed and fall into the oblivion of sleep. Jane straightened her back and shook her head, ' _Wake up.'_

Maura sat at the kitchen table and pulled the pen she had tucked behind her ear. She scribbled down a few lines of dialogue on the notepad beside her laptop and sat back in her chair. She picked up her coffee cup and held it against her chest and allowed her mind to wander back to the previous evening. Her daydream had her back on the ballroom floor, moving gracefully along with Jane. She remembered the feeling of Jane's arm around her waist and the way their bodies fit together. She remembered how Jane had smiled and how she could see it reflected in the small lines around in her eyes. And how easily she could have guided Jane's lips to hers. Maura had played the fantasy out in her head over the years; an urgent kiss against the wall of the elevator at the precinct or their drawn out goodbyes in front of The Robber being put on hold by their lips colliding. A different scenario, but with always the same outcome. The confirmation of a relationship that had never been given words, but instead transitioned organically from nothing into something.

"Whatcha grinning about?"

Maura's brain switched back on and she looked up at Jane. She hadn't felt the smile creep across her lips or heard the footsteps that came up behind her. A small, warm spot radiated in her chest. She glanced down quickly and remembered the cup pressed there and sat it down, but the feeling left behind was not quick to dissipate.

"Oh, I, uh, finished a chapter and a half this morning."

Jane pressed her lips together and raised her eyebrows. She was impressed, "Anything I can read, yet?" she asked walking over to the cabinets and pulling out a coffee cup.

Maura closed her laptop and gathered up her notepad and pen, slipping them into a leather satchel and secured the straps. She bit her lip and hesitated for a moment, "No. It's still a rough draft and I need to go back and edit a few things."

"I don't mind rough." Jane said between sips of her coffee as she sat down. Maura pursed her lips forced a smile to keep whatever sound in the back of her throat from escaping. Her heart had picked up the pace, and the warmth that lingered against her chest now stoked itself to a flame, spreading out under her skin.

"Give it a few weeks." Maura said, and quickly moved to change the subject, "Were you able to get some sleep?"

Jane shook her head and pinched off a piece of croissant and tossed it into her mouth, "Yeah, but I feel like my brain went through a blender. I don't remember getting in last night or even falling asleep. I barely remember dinner."

Maura felt her heart drop and her face must have betrayed her because Jane's expression suddenly grew concerned. "Shit, was I an asshole? Did I embarrass you? I went around singing the chorus to Lady Marmalade all night, didn't I? I'm so sorry.. I-"

Maura shook her head, "No, no. Nothing like that." she said.

"Then what?"

"Nothing." Maura said, sidestepping her disappointment, "It was fine. We had dinner and a few glasses of wine and came back to the room. You were exhausted." The bent truth flew out Maura's mouth before she had time to stop it.

"I remember it being a weird couples thing with little cheese plates." Jane picked up her coffee cup and pouted, "Sorry I was a lame faux wife. No more wine this week."

Maura smiled. She reached out and placed her hand over Jane's, "You were charming, I assure you."

Jane rolled her eyes and took a sip of her coffee.

"Your body just needs to adjust to the time change. It can take a few days. You'll be fine."

"I could crawl back into bed now." Jane sat down her coffee, and ran her hands over her face.

"You need to get out and into a routine. You can't spend a month sleeping."

"Ah," Jane interrupted, waving her finger, "yes, I can."

Maura rolled her eyes, "I'm content with what I was able to get done this morning. Let's take the afternoon and explore the city."

"And do what?"

Maura chewed on her bottom lip for a moment and then smiled as an idea wandered into her brain.

"What's that face?" Jane asked tentatively, and watched Maura as she rose from her chair and moved across the room to the phone on the kitchen counter.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm getting us tickets." Maura said joyfully as she picked up the phone and dialed down to the front desk.

Jane blinked. Maura was speaking a flurry of French and Jane's brow knitted together in confusion. She narrowed her eyes, "Wait," she said, trying to catch up. "tickets to what?"

Jane was sure Maura was using her powers over Luis for evil. Within twenty minutes of her phone call, he had produced two tickets for _whatever_ Maura had asked for and had a town car waiting at the curb. Now they stood at the entrance of a menacing looking black shack and Jane had fingers steepled against her lips. She hadn't expected Maura to pick something as tourist-y as the Paris Catacombs, but here they were with tourist milling around them, flipping through pamphlets and aiming their cameras in all directions.

She raised an eyebrow and focused on Maura, "This is not what I had in mind."

"And what did you have in mind?" Maura asked, leaning back on her heels and bouncing with gleeful anticipation.

"Baguettes and," Jane raised her hand and swirled around her head, "those little French hats."

"Berets."

Jane snapped her fingers, "Those are the ones."

Maura smiled and linked her arm with Jane's, pulling her closer to the front of the line, "This is much more interesting. This is _Barrière d'Enfer_ _._ "

Jane cleared her throat, "What now?"

The tour guide ahead of them began shouting out over the crowd, first in French, then in English. The space around them became more crowded and Jane maneuvered around behind Maura, who was giddy as she pulled their tickets from her purse.

"The gate of hell." Maura said over her shoulder.

"How charming." Jane snorted as the line began to move. The entryway into the shack turned into a narrow path of stairs that spiraled endlessly. Light quickly began to fade and the sound of shuffling footsteps and the cities aqueducts echoed throughout the enclosed space. Maura trailed her hand along the wall and reached behind her, taking Jane's hand into her own.

"Scared?"

Maura scoffed as darkness swarmed around her, "No. Just want to make sure you're still there."

"Uh-huh." Jane hummed behind her and Maura's hand received a reassuring squeeze. Maura smiled in the dark.

The stairs ended and the trek through winding hallway began. Jane wiggled free her hand from Maura, but kept one of their fingers linked together. A sort of pride swelled in her chest being tethered to Maura. She liked being her protector, even if it was from something as silly as the dark.

Following the guide, they came to the ossuary portal entrance. Great pieces of mortared stone rose from the ground and held an inscription at the top of its pillar: _Arrête! C'est ici l'empire de la Mort._

"Stop! This is the Empire of the Dead." Maura whispered over her shoulder to Jane, effectively answering her question before she could ask it.

"Please, stay together." the guide announced, "Follow the person in front of you. Don't wander off. You'll be keeping a much different company if you do."

A few laughters rumbled up from the crowd and Jane fought the urge to roll her eyes. Stepping closer to Maura, she dipped her head to Maura's ear, "Was this on your itinerary?"

Jane's sudden proximity caught Maura off guard, and the low timbre of Jane's voice against her ear reverberated through Maura, sending goosebumps up her arm.

"No," Maura said, "I thought it would be fun to do something spontaneous."

"Oh, spontaneous. I didn't know you had it in you, Dr. Isles." Jane chided. Warm breath tickled against Maura's neck and an awkward laugh tumbled past her lips at Jane's inflection of her official title. Maura hadn't noticed the guide stopped in front of her and quickly planted her feet. She felt Jane stumble and her body collide into her back. Both of Jane's hands now rested on either side of her waist and the tips of her fingers pressed firmly into her hips.

"Woah, you okay?"

"Yep." Maura answered curtly, keeping her eyes directly ahead. She swallowed hard and glanced over her shoulder quickly, smiling at Jane in some forced showing of normalcy. But there it was. Whatever _it_ was. It was always there, under the surface of every touch or smile and kept them teetering on the edge of a precipice that neither of them could find the courage to step over. Instead it just settled and hung in the space around them, leaving it heavy with the sounds of nothing and Maura hated it, because as quickly as the moments came, they were gone.

The tour guide had began to lead the group again, and Maura's stride quickened. She needed space, even if it was only for a moment.

"Hey!" Jane whispered, "wait up!"

The narrow walk way opened up into a huge room. The smell musty smell of dirt and earth hung in the air. In the center stood a barrel of carefully placed femurs and skulls. The guide began to ramble on in French and Maura felt Jane's hand press into the small of her back.

"Everything okay?"

"Yes. I'm sorry. It was just becoming a bit too cramped back there." Maura was not proud of the half-truths that kept finding their way out of her mouth.

Jane moved and stood beside her, motioning at the display in front of them, "I didn't know the head bone was connected to the leg bone."

Maura immediately cut her eyes to Jane, who was smiling, "Don't you dare."

"And, if I'm not mistaken," Jane said, crossing her arms and tapping her foot, "that means the leg bone is connected to the thigh bone."

Maura closed her eyes and let out an exasperated sigh as she began walking to keep up with the tour guide.

"What?" Jane asked from behind, "you don't think I'm humerus?"

Maura threw her head back and groaned painfully, "You're insufferable."

Jane began humming the tune as she came up beside Maura and poked her in the side playfully, "You love it."

Maura smiled and leaned to her side, bumping her shoulder into Jane's as they rounded a turn. They passed a wall of bone and skulls displayed as a heart and somewhere beneath the city streets, under thousands of watchful hollowed eyes, Maura's own heart swelled with a silent admittance of love.


End file.
